Airship.



AIRSHIP.

APPLIOAHTION FILED 13150.24. 1912.

Patented Dec. 2, 1913,

5 SHEET S-'SHEET l.

Elttwwq B. F. STONER, DECD.

n. v. sToNBR, .ADMINIBTRATRIL AIRSH'IP. APPLIUATION riLnD 1320.24, 1912.

1,080,498, Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

B. F. STONER, DEGD.

lE. V. STONER, ADMINISTRATRIX. AIRSHIP,

APPLICATION FILED DBU. 24, 1912.

Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

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53 ff d... CJMM d? B. F. STONER, DECD.

E. v. sToNBR, ADMINISTRATRIX.

AIRSHIP.

APPLIUATION Yum) DB0. 24, 1912.

1,080,498, y Patented Dec. 2., 1913.

, 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

glwuafntoz B. F. STONER, DECD. 1m v. sToNER, ADMINISTRATRIX.

AIRSHIP.

APPLIGATION FILED 13,110.24, 1my

1,080,498. Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

5 SHBETB-SHEET 5.

5] n uantoz e l @Wemag ATENT UFFE.

BENJAMIN FRANK STONER,

OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY; ELLA V. STONER, ADMINIS- TBATRIX F SAID BENJAMINF. STONER, DECEASED.

Arasnrr.

aoeaeee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented Dee. 2,1913.

Application tiled December 24, 1912. Serial No. 738.444.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, BENJAMIN F. SroNnR, citizen of the United States, andresident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful improvements in Airships, of which thefollowing is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to flying machines of the heavier-than-airclass, and particularly to a machine combining the flying supported byprinciples of the aeroplane and orthopter, the object of the inventionbeing to provide a combination machine of this type in which the glidingand iiapping surfaces act in a synchronized manner to give greatsupporting and flying efiiciency.`

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which isinherently stable and otherwise capable of being safely oper ated, andwhich is adapted to be easily and sensitively controlled by the airman.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top planview of a fiying machine constructed in accordance with my invention.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is a-front elevationthereof. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 5 is asectional plan view on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a verticaltransverse section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an enlargedsectional .view through one of the parachutes and its controlling meansand showing the parachute spread for action.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a boat-shaped car 1,preferably of streamline form, and provided with a stabilizing tailpiece 2. This car is supported by a main frame 3, which extends aboveand below the car and which supports front and rear launching andlanding wheels 4, journaled in suitable bearing brackets the framework.Within the car are arranged the aviators seat 5, a pair of drivingmotors 6 and 7, and a steering shaft 8 provided with a hand wheel 9disosed in proximity to the aviators seat.

he car may also contain the fuel carrying tanks, one or more passengerseats, and other parts of the equipment.

The main frame carries a gliding surface in the nature of an aeroplaneof substan tially cruciform shape, and presenting headand tail portions10 and 11 extending parallel with the line of flight and wings 12 and 13projecting laterally in opposite directions at right angles to the lineof Hight, the machine as thus constructed being adapted when propelledthrough the air to sustain itself after the principle of machines of thegliding type.

Arranged beneath the lateral projecting wings 12 and 13 of the aeroplanesurface are laterally projecting wings 14 and 15, of bird-like contour,each of which wings preferably consists of a framework having a coveringof fabric or other suitable material and including a longitudinal rod orshaft 16 reinforced from the frame proper by braces 17 and provided atits inner end with a ball or spherical member 18 journaled in thebearing socket 19. The two wings 14 and are thus universally jointed tothe framework to swing or flap in a vertical plane and to tilt or swingvertically to a certain degree on a transverse axis, so that inoperation they may closely simulate the action of the wings of flappingbirds. It is found that this mode of operation of the wings 14 and 15and their described relationship to the wings 12 and 13 of the cruciformaeroplane surface gives what may be called a synchronized action in theway of a dual supporting effect, whereby a struc ture of great carryingand iiying efficiency is produced.

The wings 14 and 15 carry eccentric straps 20, connected therewith bylink rods 21, which eccentric straps coperate with eccentrics 22 uponthe opposite ends of a horizon tal transversely extending shaft 23journaled in the upper portion of the main frame, whereby in therotation of said shaft the wings will be simultaneously and alternatelyswung upward and downward on their universal joints and at the same timepermitted to rock to a certain degree in a fore and aft direction togive a pounding action on the air, whereby an aerodynamical supportingeffect is obtained. The shaft 23 is driven by a sprocket chain 24 fromthe front motor 6, which chain passes around sprocket wheels 25 and 26on the shaft 23 and the shaft of the motor, respectively.

A. forward driving or propelling action is preferably secured by the useof a propeller 27 mounted in rear of the tail piece 2 upon alongitudinally extending shaft 28 driven by the rear motor 29, theaction of the propeller` 27 driving the machine ahead at a proper speedfor a. guiding support through the medium of the aeroplane surface,while the action ofthe wings 14 and 15 at the Sametime gives asustaining and driving impulse.

The aeroplane surfaces 10 and l1 are provided with openings 30 in whichare arranged front and rear horizontal rudders, elevators or altitudeplanes 31 and 32, which arey respectively mounted to tilt vertically onhorizontal transverse shafts 33 and These rudders are connected at theirforward edges by links 35 to the upper arms of bell crank levers 36, thelower arms of which are coupled by links 37 to controlling levers 38,one for each elevator or altitudeplane,

ywhereby said elevators or altitude planes may be simultaneouslyadjusted by simultaneous manipulation of thelevers or independentlyadjusted by independent manipulation of the levers to steer the machinevertically or balance it sensitively upon its transverse axis7 the shapeof the aeroplane surface and action of the flapping wings givinginherent lateral stability without the use of lateral balancing means,although such may be employed if desired. Arranged beneath the tailportion of the car is a vertical rudder lin 39 linged or pivoted at itsupper edge to swing laterally on a longitudinal axis, which rudder fm iscoupled by connections 40 to the control shaft 8, whereby it may beadjusted laterally at an angle to the line of flight in either directionto steer the machine laterally. This rudder fin may also be employed asa lateral balancing medium, and automatically operates to preventskidding of the machine and to hold it against side draft in an intendedline of flight.

A stability vane 39 may be provided and located below the body of thecar. This vane is supported by suitably guided rack bars 40 meshing withpinions 39a on a shaft 40a connected by gears 40b with a verticalcontrol shaft 40c disposed in proximity to the a viators seat and havingan operating crank, whereby the vane may be raised and lowered.

The machine is preferably provided with one or more parachutes in orderto insure safety in the event ofthe collapse of a portion of the machinestructure or the failure of the motive power, especially underconditions where a gliding landing cannot be' made. 1n the presentinstance the use of two parachutes is disclosed, each of which conslstsof an upwardly extending rod or stai" 41 supporting a collapsibleumbrella-shapedparachute 42, said staffs being preferably disposed one.in rear of the other and reinforced by a suitable connecting stay 43.The frame of each collapsible parachute includes stretchers 44 secured'to a collar 45 ixed to the upper end of a sleeve 46 slidably mount.- cdon the staff, which sleeve is also provided at its lower end with acollar 47 connected by links 48 with one arm of a bell crank lever 49,the opposite arm of which is conf pled to a controlling lever 50. Asshown the levers 38 and 50 are preferably mounted on a common fulcrum51, and each is provided with a spring actuated dog or latch 52 forengagement with a toothed segment 53, whereby it may be locked inadjusted position. I

The sleeve 4G of each parachute is slidable. in a guide 54 and isadapted to be projected by the expansive action of a coil spring 55,which is normally held compressed when the parachute is collapsed and isadapted when released to project the sleeve upward and spread theparachute to open position. Chains or other flexible connections 56connect the lower edges of the body of the parachute to the main frameor aeroplane surface, to limit the opening movement of said parachuteand to stay it against the pressure of the air when in action.. lt willbe observed that the paraehutcs may be normally held collapsed, toreduce their resistance to flight, and that they may be released at anytime for' automatic opening movement to support the machine in itsdescent and adapt it to land safely.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,the construction and mode of use of my improved flying machine will bereadily understood, and it will be seen that the invention provides aflying machine which, in an effective manner, combines the supportingprinciples of the aeroplane and helicopter, enabling a reliable andeiiicient supporting action to be obtained, and that, in addition to theother safety factors mentioned, such use of the two types of supportingsurfaces disclosed gives greater security, as in the event of injury tothe one the other will operate to sustain and maintain the machine inflight.

1t will, of course, be understood that the machine may be provided witha hydroplane surface of a suitable character for use on water as well ason land.

1 claim A 1. A flying machine including a main frame, a boat shaped carcarried thereby and having an attenuated tail portion provided with atransverse portion carrying a transverse tail piece, an aeroplanesurface of substantially cruciform shape supported by the frame, saidsurface presenting head and tail portions and transverse wing portions,flapping wings universally jointed to the frame and arranged beneath thetransverse wing portions of the aeroplane surface, a propel 1er shaftextending longitudinally above the tail piece of the car, a propellercarried by said shaft, a motor for driving the propeller shaft, a secondmotor, and mechanism actuated by said second motor for verticallyswinging and rocking the flapping wings.

2. A `flying machine comprising -a Vboat shaped car having an attenuatedtail portion with a transverse tail piece, a frame rising from the car,an aeroplane surface of substantially cruciforrn shape supported by theframe, said surface presenting head and tail portions and transverseWing portions flapping Wings universally jointed to the frame andarranged beneath the transverse Wing portions of the aeroplane surface,a propeller shaft extending longitudinally above the tail piece of thecar, a propeller carried by said shaft, a motor for operating thepropellershaft, a transverse transmission shaft on the frame, eccentricmechanism actuated by said shaft for vertically swinging and rocking theflapping wings, and a second motor for driving said transmission shaft.

In testimon whereof I affix my signature in presence o two Witnesses.

BENJAMIN FRANK STONER. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN KRAIZOFF, DUoIsER Porm.

